Gardening jobs for August: 10 tasks to protect your garden from harsh rays

There's no denying that there's been a mini heatwave across the UK this week, meaning our gardens will be feeling the heat just as much as we are. Whether you're taking advantage of the good weather or not, August is the perfect time to ensure our outside spaces don't wither away, especially if it's south-facing. 

As it's the 1st August, it's time for me to share the garden maintenance tasks I'll be completing this month. However, make sure to check out my gardening jobs for July if you haven't already. 

As usual, I've received some insightful guidance from Craig Wilson, Co-founder and  Director of Gardeners Dream. These are the top 10 tasks Craig recommended this month, and I can't wait to get started. 

Garden maintenance

1. Put plans in place for watering when away

Now the kids are off school, more and more of us will be jetting off on our summer holidays. To ensure your garden is watered whilst you are away, ask a neighbour or friend to pop over every other day or so. This will prevent you getting off the plane and coming home to a plant graveyard.

If calling on someone else isn't an option, you could try setting up an automatic watering system. 

2. Stay on top of weeding

Weeds won't grow as fast during the summer months, but it's still worth hoeing the soil to keep them at bay. Make sure to do this on a hot, dry day, and the weeds you've hoed up will dehydrate and die. 

Perennial weeds also have a larger surface area during the summer months, so spraying them with weed killer will be particularly effective. 

3. Keep bird baths topped up

Bird bath water will quickly evaporate in extreme heat, so remember to regularly top them up with fresh, cold water. A fresh bird bath will also keep the birds coming back to your garden, so you'll be able to get lots more enjoyment if you enjoy watching them. 

Fruit and vegetables

4. Cut back the leaves on your grape vines

You might find that the leaves on your grape vines are covering the fruit. If this is the case, make sure to cut them back to allow the sunlight to reach and ripen the fruit, especially if you plan on harvesting them.

5. Cut back herbs

Cutting back your herbs in August will encourage a new flourish of fresh leaves before the cold weather sets in again. If you have a large harvest, you can dry out or freeze your herbs to use over the next few months.

6. Protect berries from the birds

As your berries are ripening, cover them with nets to keep the birds away. Birds are and will always be a huge fan of berries, so if you've got lots of lovely recipes planned, make sure to protect them now before it's too late. 

7. Cut back raspberry canes

Cut back the fruited canes for neatness, but make sure to leave the newer green canes in order for them to fruit next year 

Flowers, plants and shrubs

8. Prune lavender

Now that your lavender is losing its flowers, you should think about pruning. Doing this will enable you to maintain a compact and bushy shape. However, just be sure not to cut any old wood. 

9. Deadhead annual bedding plants

If you want to encourage some autumn flowering, make sure to deadhead all of your annual bedding plants, as well as your perennials. This will also stop them from self-seeding.

10. Water rhododendrons thoroughly

To make sure next year's buds grow and develop well, try watering rhododendrons and other evergreen shrubs thoroughly this month. Your future garden will thank you for it. 

Considering a garden tool clear out? Take a look at the 3 signs you need to replace your garden tools, according to an expert.